The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated on Friday that it had been informed that the cooling tower of a reactor unit of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant in the Russian Federation was hit by a drone early on Thursday.
"It was reported that the unit was operating at the time, but its operating mode did not change and there was no fire," said the IAEA in a social media post on Friday.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi noted that "all attacks on nuclear facilities are unacceptable", while calling for "maximum military restraint to prevent the risk of a nuclear accident."
Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on Friday that a Ukrainian drone crashed and exploded on the cooling tower of Unit 1 of Phase II of the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, causing "minor damage."
The unit is continuing to operate at 100 percent power. The safe operation of the nuclear power plant is guaranteed, and radiation levels around the plant remain within the normal range, said Rosatom.
Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant hit in drone attack: IAEA
Russia's Kursk Nuclear Power Plant hit in drone attack: IAEA
Escalating armed conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has displaced more than 70,000 people and strained local communities and humanitarian access, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.
The OCHA said the intensifying hostilities in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces have triggered large-scale displacement, heaping mounting pressure on local livelihoods and public services.
According to OCHA, the surge in violence since mid-August has driven over 70,000 people to flee their homes and take refuge in the Walikale territory of North Kivu.
The mass influx of displaced populations has severely overstretched local basic public services, placing a heavy burden on host communities across the region.
Compounding the crisis, the worsening security situation has not only restricted civilian mobility in affected zones, but also severely hampered the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance.
OCHA renewed its call on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and ensure safe, unimpeded humanitarian access so that life-saving supplies can reach affected populations without delay.
Escalating conflict in eastern DRC displaces over 70,000 civilians: UN
